Family gatherings are not just for dinner time. A weekend breakfast is another way to bring your family together. Start this weekend off by making spelt pancakes. [Read more…] about Spelt Pancakes
September is Family Meal Time Month
September is a special month for AgriLife Extension as we “Celebrate Family Mealtime”. We know everyone is busy with work and after school activities, plus technology always having us “plugged in”, often times we miss face-to-face connections with our family. Family meals provide a great opportunity for family members to connect because everyone has to eat! Throughout the month of September we are encouraging everyone to have meals as a family and here at Dinner Tonight, we will be highlighting special recipes and tips to do just that! Research shows that sitting down three times per week as a family has many benefits* among these are:
- Reduction for the odds of overweight & potentially obesity
- Reduction in eating unhealthy foods
- Reduction in odds for a child to experience an eating disorder
- Increase in eating eating healthy foods
To get started, commit to having your family sit down at least three times a week to eat together, and use this as a time to
- share family stories,
- learn about everyone’s day,
- set family goals,
- and make plans for future activities.
Remember, meals do not have to be fancy or gourmet to make mealtime special, the focus is on getting everyone together.
We hope you take the challenge to sit down at least 3x per week during the Month of September to engage in family mealtime! Share your photos with us on Facebook & Instagram by tagging us or using the #familymealtime. Check back with us throughout September to learn more on the benefits to family mealtime as well as tips and recipes to make it easy.
See our Kid Friendly Recipes here!
If you’ve got a picky eater on your hands, check out our tips and tricks to help navigate that tricky situation!
* Pediatrics Journal – Official Journal of the American Association of Pediatrics
Savory Beef Sticky Buns
30-Day Protein Challenge
We hear about protein everywhere now a days. It is one of the hottest topics in nutrition due to its increasing popularity in food products and the media.
Protein is important for building and repairing muscle tissue and cells within our bodies, but significant research also shows that on average 20-30g of high quality protein at each meal improves metabolism, healthy aging and weight loss and maintenance.
Dinner Tonight is teaming up with Texas Beef Council and we are kicking off our 30 day protein challenge. Starting tomorrow, each person who takes the challenge will strive to eat 20-30g of protein at each meal for 30 days. Each person is encouraged to keep a journal to document how you feel physically when you consume protein rich meals. Think about your energy level and satiety.
To help you through the challenge, sign up and use these great resources from the Texas Beef Council. Why not start out the challenge with a great recipe Lean Beef Choufleur for dinner tonight.
https://youtu.be/oDSr5whrmbY
Building a Better Lunch- New Video!
Looking for a nutritious, delicious and far from boring lunch for you or your kiddo? Look no further because in the video below we have three lunch box pairing suggestions that will help you start off the school year right.
The Picky Eater: This particular lunch is a fun way to get the kid who doesn’t like to eat their veggies to venture out! It contains savory Veggie Tots and PB&J Rolls which are both fun and healthy twists on classic lunch foods.
The All-Star Athlete: Protein and complex carbohydrates are essential for an athlete. This delicious Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich, will help them perform at their best level in the classroom and on the field by providing them the calories and nutrients for sustainable energy.
The Adventurous Eater: For the experimental, fearless ones out there this lunch box is built to satisfy your taste for adventure! It begins with a Going Greek Dip which is full of flavor and can be used as an appetizer too! Thank you – Carina Greenfield, TTU Dietetic Intern
https://youtu.be/eGg_wgDUCQ4
